Spring bracket



A. T. STURT.

SPRING BRACKET.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1920v 1,419,083n Patented June (5, 1922 Jan; 725K217! tlt-to z 44 a 1 ass FQE.

A EN E ALFRED '1. STURT, OF NEW YORK, N. Yl, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MOTORS CORPORA- TION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SPRING BRACKET.

eiaosa.

Application filed April 8,

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 'I, ALFRED T. STURT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Brackets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which the invention relates to make and use the saine, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to spring mechanism associated with and forming a part of automobiles and similar self-propelled vehicles, and particularly to spring mechanism 1n which leaf springs are employed for supporting the frame and body of the vehicle from the axles thereof.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved supporting member or device for securing the fixed endsof the leaf springs whereby the vehicle body is supported to the side members of the vehicle frame, and with which supporting de vices the free ends of the several separate springs in question are secured.

A further object of my invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements in and relating'to supporting members or brackets whereby and through which the fixed ends of the frame and body supporting springs are secured to the frame of the vehicle.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved spring supporting means for the fixed ends of the springswliereby the vehicle body is supported, and in which supporting means the bolts commonly employed to secure the spring in place will not be subject to tension or other strains due to the weight of the vehicle body; the stress due to the weight borne by the 5 rings being taken up by fixed abutments w ich form a part of the supporting means in question.

With the above and other objects of invention in view. my invention consists in the improved supporting means for the fixed ends of vehicle springs where they are secured to the side frame members ofthe vehicle illustrated in the accompanying drawing and hereinafter described and claimed and in "such variations and modifications thereof, within the scope of the concluding Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, i922.

1920. Serial No. 372,198.

claims, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

Referring now to the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated Figure 1 is a view showing a leaf spring n perspective and the forward ,end of which is secured to one of the side frame members of the vehicle frame by the use of supporting means made in accordance with my invention, the spring illustrated being one of two springs which support the rear end of the vehicle body.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing one of my improved supporting devices or brackets for the fixed end of the springs as seen from a position beneath the same.

Figure 3 is'a perspective View showing one of the front leaf springs which support the vehicle body, the rear fixed end thereof being secured to a side bar of the frame of the vehicle by means of a supporting device madein accordance with my invention.

Referring first to Figure 1, the reference numeral 4 designates one of the two side members of the frame of the vehicle, the same being commonly channel-shaped in cross section as shown; and the spring designated by the reference numeral 5 may be made upof a plurality of leaves assembled one on top of another and which leaves are shown as secured together by clips 6. The spring shown is of the type commonly referred to as a half-semi-elliptic spring, and

the rear end thereof is secured to a bracket 7 as by means of the rearmost clip 6 and a bolt 8, and which bracket 7 is provided with a cylindrical bearing through which the housing of the rear axle of the vehicle extends.

The front end of the spring 5 is secured to the frame member 4 by a fixed end supporting device made in accordance with my invention. said device being in the general form and performing the functions of a bracketand the same having one or more flanges 9, 10, adapted to be secured to the side frame member by means-of bolts, rivets or like fastening devices; although the form of said fiangesvmay be varied within widelimits without departin from my invention as my invention, considered in its broader aspect, is regarded as including any type or kind of flange or flanges whereby the fixed end supporting device or bracket may be secured to a side member of the frame of the vehicle.

My improved spring supporting device is provided with a housing formed integrally therewith and the form of which may vary, but which housing is illustrated as having oppositely disposed depending side walls or webs 11, 11, and an end wall or web 12 which is so disposed as to partially close the forward open end of the housing illustrated in Figure 1. Said housing is also provided with a top wall 13 which in effect is a continuation of the horizontal fastening flange 10 and with a bottom wall 14 extending between the side walls and which forms an abutment or ledge against which the undelside of the extremity of the spring 5 bears, and by which? flange the said extremity is supported when the end of the spring is inserted into the hollow housing made up of the elements above referred to. The top wall 13 is provided with a second abutment 15 upon its under side and which abutment is spaced apart in the direction of the length of the spring from the lower abutment 14, and against which upper abutment the upper side of the spring 5 bears when the free end of said spring is in position within the hous ing for receiving the same.

In view of the premises it will be appreciated that when the free end of a spring like the spring 5 is in place within the housing provided for its reception a downwardly acting force will be communicated to the spring through the abutment 15 which contacts with the upper surface thereof .at a point some little distance from the extreme end of the spring. At the same time downward movement of the extremity of the sprin will be prevented by the abutment 14, wliich contacts with the under side of the spring at the extreme end thereof; thus providing a spring support in which the stresses set up by the load upon the vehicle results in compression forces only in the supporting member or bracket at the fixed end of the spring.

It therefore follows that so far as static forces are involved the body of the vehicle will be supported from the springs without theuse of fastening bolts associated with the supporting means in question. I prefer, however, to provide a bolt 16 at the \extremity of the spring and extending through holes in the leaves thereof, and

through a hole 17 in the lowermost abutment 14, the head of said bolt lying in a recess provided for it in the upper wall 13 of the housing, so that in tightening the said bolt the leaves of the spring will be drawn toward the lowermost abutment 14. It will be appreciated, however, that the weight borne by the frame of the vehicle will not subject the bolt 16 to tension, and that the real effect of the bolt in question is to prevent displacement of the inner extremitiesof the spring. Other bolts 18 are also provided which extend through holes 19 provided in the top walls 13 of the housing and the lower ends of which bolts extend through holes provided in the ends of a cross bar or clip 20 which lies beneath the spring and acts, when the bolts are tightened, to force the spring upward and hold the same in firm engagement with the uppermost abutment 15 above referred to.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figure 3 the spring 21 is one of the two oppositely located springs whereby the forward end of the body is supported from the forward axle 22 of the vehicle, the extremities of the springs being secured to the axle by a bolt 23 and a clip 24 or otherwise. The fixed end of the spring 21 extends into a housing made up of top, side and'bottom walls of substantially the same form as in the form of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the under side of the extremity of the spring being supported by a ledge in all essential particulars like the ledge 14;

while the upper surface of the spring abuts against an upper abutment in all respects like the abutment 15 hereinbefore referred to. The end of the spring in this form of my invention is held in place within the housing by bolts in the same way as hereinbefore explained, and the bracket as a whole whereby the fixed end of the spring is supported is provided with suitable flanges, one of which is indicated by the reference numeral 25, whereby the spring support may be secured to the side member 5 of the vehicle frame.

It will be appreciated that while the spring supporting device or bracket illustrated in Figure 2 is in a sense referred to as the same one that isshown in Figure 1, the bracket shown in Figure 2 is in fact the bracket which is secured to the frame member 0pposite the frame member 4 and supports the fixed end of the other of the two springs whereby the rear end of the frame is supported; the two spring supporting brackets in question being alike except that one is a right and the other a left designed to be secured one to the right and the other to the left hand side bars of the frame of the vehicle.

Having thus described and explained my secure by isses abutment at its upper end spaced apartfrom said first mentioned abutment and against which the upper side of a spring may bear; and bolts adapted to force the extremity of a spring downward and against said first mentioned abutment, and to force another portion of a spring spaced apart from its extremity upward and against said second mentioned abutment, whereby stresses due to the load borne by the spring are resisted by said abutments a id said bolts are free from said stresses w he device in use.

2. Fixed end a'ting means for automobile springs so ing a unitary single piece bracket prov-ii d with a flange whereby it may be secured to a frame member; said bracket having an abutment or ledge at its lower end whereby the under side of the extremity of a spring may be supported, and a second abutment located above and spaced apart from said first mentioned abutment I and against which the upper side of a spring lit) may bear; and means for holding the free end of a spring in engagement with said abutments; said abutments acting to resist stresses due to the load borne by the spring, and said holding means being free from said stresses when the device is in use. I 3. Flared end supporting means for auto mobile springs comprislng a unitary single piece bracket provided with. a flange whereby 1t may be secured to a frame member and having an abutment or ledge at its lower end whereby the under side of the extremity of.

a spring may be supported; a bolt extending through a hole in said abutment and adapted to hold the free end of a spring in engages ment therewith; aflsecond abutment located above and spaced apart from said first mentioned abutment andagainm which the upper side of a spring may bear; and means for forcing the upper side of spring against said last mentioned abutment; said abutinents acting to resist stresses due to the load borne by the spring, and said means being free from said stresses when the device is in use. a

4-. Fixed end supporting means for'auto mobile springs comprising a unitary single piece bracket provided with a; flange where-1 byit may be secured to a frame meinber,-and a housing adapted to receive and holdthe' fixed end er a cat spring said bracket hav'fing an abutment or ledge at its lower and V I In testimony whereof I atria my signature.

whereby the under side of the extremityfof a spring may be supported, and a second bolt and forcing abutment at its upper end spaced apart 'from piece bracket provided with a vertically ex;

tending flange whereby it may be secured to a frame member, and housing adapted to receive and held the zired end of a leaf spring and which housing is made up of a top wall, two side walls depending therefrom, and an abutment or ledge extending between the lower ends of said side walls; a second abutment provided upon the-under side of said top wall and spaced apart from said first mentioned. abutment; a 'bolt the head of which. lies within a recon; provided in said top wall, and which; bolt extends through a hole provided in said first men-' tioned abutment; two other bolts extending through holesprovided in said top wall adjacent said second mentioned abutment, and which bolts are spaced apart from one anotherso as to receive a spring between them; and a bar having holes at its extremities through "which the lower ends of said last mentioned bolts extend.

6., Fixed end supporting means for automobile springs comprising a'unitary single piece bracket provided with a vertically and a horizontally disposed flange whereby it maybesecured to a frame member, and a tit ing from said top wall, and an abutment ex-w tending between the lower ends of saidsi'de; walls; a second abutment provided upon the under side of said top Welland which abut e ment is spaced apartv from said; first men tioned abutment; and niean sfor securing fixed-ends of a spring in place within said housing thereo resting upon said first mentioned abutment, and aportion .,oi thefupper side 'ithereo'zt abutting against-said second mentioned abutment g said meansbeing free from stresses due to thelo'adborne by the spring 'i'rhen the device is in use. I

ALFRED T. STURT.

with the: extremity of the under side 1 its 7 

